USA > Kentucky > Daviess County > History of Daviess County, Kentucky, together with sketches of its cities, villages, and townships, educational religious, civil military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, biographies of representative citizens, and an outline history of Kentucky > Part 26
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Reptiles .- The hard-shelled or snapping turtle, the soft-shelled, the land and map turtle, are all common.
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Of snakes in this region, the most noted are the moccasin, the timber rattlesnake, black racer, which is plentiful, black and garter snakes, spreading viper or adder, milk or house snake, copper- head, American ring-snake and the grass snake. These reptiles, however, are all diminishing in numbers, as the county becomes more densely populated. A black snake fifteen feet long and fif- teen or twenty inches girth was said to exist in 1870, on the farm of Mrs. James Shipp, near Owensboro. It had been seen occa- sionally for eight or ten years previously.
Three or four species of lizard abound in this region, but, like the toads, they are innocent and of no consequence.
Fish .- About all the fish that are found in Western waters are found also within the limits of Daviess County; and this county is well favored with good fishing waters,-the Ohio River, Green River, Panther Creek, and numerous other creeks and ponds. All the game fish, especially the finer kinds, are much scarcer at the present day than in early tir tes, but there are State laws prohibit- ing their wanton destruction. The best kinds referred to are the black or green, and the striped or rock bass, weighing three to seven pounds; the "jack " salmon, the bachelor perch, the white or drum perch, pickerel and cat. The white perch and buffalo are abundant in the Ohio River. Of cat there are three kinds- the Mississippi, the channel, and the mud or yellow. Of the first mentioned specimens have been caught in the Ohio River weigh- ing as much as 150 pounds. Cat fish and shovel fish are still plen- tiful. They are much alike in their appearance, and in the quality of their flesh. A few native carp may be found in the tributaries to the Ohio.
The bream, or "tin mouth," is a ravenous, speckled, flat fish sometimes caught, but it is not a fine game fish. It averages about two pounds in weight, and furnishes good food for the table. The redhorse is very rare. The two principal varieties of minnows are the silver-sides, or shiners, and the chubs. Nine other species exist here. Eels occur in respectable numbers, and there are a few river sturgeon and sun-fish.
Considerable interest is now manifested in fish-farming, and in introducing new kinds of food fish. Both the General Government and the Commonwealth of Kentucky are aiding the citizens here in this noble enterprise, and the prospects of success are said to be encouraging. The German carp was first introduced into Daviess County in 1880, and this fish has been known here to attain a 18
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weight of one pound and a length of fourteen inches within nine months. Many applications were made for fry in the winter of 1881-'2, but the Government could not supply the demand until the following fall, when Mr. Geo. V. Triplett received about forty lots of twenty each, and distributed them to the applicants. Some persons say they do not like the taste of this fish, but its advocates claim that a failure in the cooking must have been the cause of the trouble. The receipt for preparing them is somewhat peculiar.
California salmon and Potomac shad, planted in this county, are beginning to weigh about two pounds.
Among the useless or noisome fish, the gar (fresh-water gar) is still abundant, as it probably ever will be. Occasionally an " alli- gator gar" is caught in the Ohio River, sometimes as much as five feet long. Dog-fish, gourd-seed or grinnell, the skip-jack, suckers and a few more unimportant fish are found.
WILD BEES
and honey were abundant during the " wild " days of Daviess County's career. The old settlers all have experiences to relate in connection with bee-hunting and discovery of large yields of honey. For ten .or fifteen years past scarcely a bee-tree has been found.
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CHAPTER XIII.
METEOROLOGY.
The climate of this region is very pleasant most of the year, and well calculated for the fullest development of all the common crops of this country. There has not been kept within the limits of Daviess County what is called a " meteorological station, " but we are exceedingly fortunate in being offered the use of an extraordi- nary diary, faithfully kept by Mr. Joseph Thomas, of Owensboro, for about thirty years, commencing with Jan. 22, 1844, the Monday after his first marriage. This diary is a marvel of a daily record of events, of the weather, and of fine penmanship and correct spelling. Little did he think, thirty-eight years ago, that he would live to see the substance of it or any part of it in print like this, in a large book!
As he generally kept his thermometer in an unoccupied room in the house, or in the entrance hall, about ten to fifteen degrees must be subtracted from the figures in the first part of the following record, for the winter months, to obtain the true temperature out of doors. We have selected and compiled from the diary; to print all of it would make nearly two volumes the size of this. The war record and miscellaneous matters appear elsewhere in this work.
For the purpose of this chapter we give only twenty-two years (1844-1865), which is abundant to show the nature of the climate of Daviess County.
DIARY OF JOSEPH THOMAS.
1844.
Jan. 22 .- The winter up to this date has been one of unusual mildness, having had no snow of any depth or any ice sufficient to skate on. For two months it has rained almost incessantly, and the river has been very high, for the season.
Jan. 25 .- Became much colder and by
Jan. 27, the ice was hard enough to skate on. By Jan. 29, it was thick enough to put up.
Jan. 30 .- Ice melting rapidly, for a few hours. (275)
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Thermometer during the last ten days of the month, 20° to 61}º Four days were cloudy, with rain or snow.
Feb. 1 .- Becomes warm, with hard rain.
Feb. 2-10 .- Unpleasantly cool, with rain.
Feb. 11-21 .-- Very pleasant for the season. Beautiful spring weather the last five days.
Feb. 25-29 .-- Changeable, but averaging warm for this time of the year. River falling, but still navigable for large boats.
Thermometer during the month, 29º to 67º.
March .- This month came in stormy-high winds and rain. The first day was very warm.
March 1-14 .- Disagreeable; roads muddy; river high enough for large boats in the channels.
March 14-21 .- Variable-snow, rain, and fair weather.
March 21-27 .- Pleasant and warm. River falling rapidly.
March 27-29 .- Rainy.
March 30 .- Snow covered the ground in the morning, but was melted away by 2 P. M.
March 31 .- Clear and cool.
Thermometer for the month 37° (on the 21st) to 75° (on the 25th).
April .- 1-14, pleasant, warm, clear; roads in good order. River falling, but high enough for large boats. Seven steamers passed up in one hour. Trees put forth their leaves, and by the middle of the month they were in full foliage. Health of the community good.
Thermometer, 42° to 85°
May .- 1-2, cloudy and warm; 3-7, clear; 8-15, mixed; 15-17. rainy; 17-31, occasional showers; worms destructive to crops; 25, lightning struck the court and market house, but did little injury, although the latter was filled with men.
Thermometer, 60° to 90°
June .- 1-13, variable; 14-22, rainy, and to 31, very rainy and warm. River falling. Thermometer 60° to 88°, but seemingly hot- ter during the rainy portion of the month, on account of the op- pressiveness of the atmosphere. Mississippi higher than at any time since 1785.
July .- This month came in rainy and hot; roads muddy; river high, the bar being covered; 20-31, river falling fast. Thermome- ter during the month 73° to 943°. Atmosphere much of the time oppressive.
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August. - 1-10, hot, the three o'clock observations of the ther- moineter indicating 85° to 90°; clear and calm; river still in good order; 8-17, air more bracing; 18-31, slightly cooler.
September .- 1-10, pleasant; river rising a little, and the Fawn resumes regular trips; 18-20, hot; 21, cool; 22-30, river low again and no boats going up; can walk dry-shod from French Island to Indiana. Pigeons flying. The month generally pleasant. Mercury 49° to 92°.
October .- Pleasant. Some frost. Large boats running. Five foggy and ten cloudy days. Thermometer 38° at 7 A. M. to 80° at 3 P. M.
November .- 1-10, clear and pleasant; 10-12, rain, which was much needed. Large boats running. Extremes of thermometer (7 A. M. to 8 P. M. observations), 33º to 81º.
December .- 1-8, stormy,-high winds and rain; 9-14, clear, but not very cold; 15 to 31, generally calm, and nothing remarkable. Extremes in thermometrical observations, 18° to 65°.
1845.
January .- Calm, pleasant and healthful; river in good order; 11, snow deep enough for sleighing. Thermometer, 32 to 68. No ice yet of sufficient thickness for storage.
February .-- 1-9, cool, 27° to 50°; 10-12, warmer; 13-19, cooler; 20-22, warm; 23-28 moderate. River in good stage; no ice thick enough for storage during the whole winter. Thermometer during the month ranged from 273° to 64°. On the 14th a most beautiful rainbow.
arch .- Thermometer, 32° to 73º. River high. Public health good. A pleasant month.
April .-- 1-15, clear and bracing; 15-18, rainy, but river low and falling; 19-31, dry, and river very low; large boats not running. Thermometer ranged from 39° on the 8th to 90° on the 24th.
May .- 1, warm,-72°; 2-9, cooler,-49° to 72°; river rising slowly; 10-31, warm and generally clear; river falling again. Health of people good.
June .- 1-9, warm and dnsty; thermometer at 3 P. M., 80° to 93º; 9, hard rain; but little tobacco set out; crops promise to be light; river commences to rise, and by the 25th attained a good stage. Extremes of temperature, 63º to 93º; 19-28, several rains.
July .- 1-7, pleasant; 8-31, hot. Four rainy days during the month; most of the days, flying clouds. River fell during the
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month, until it got very low. Crops more promising. Average heat during the month, at three P. M., 854°; extremes, 62° to 94º.
August .- Pleasant; streets dusty until the 8th, when at seven P. M. occurred one of the hardest rains ever witnessed here, with wind and lightning. Trees and light buildings were blown down. Average heat during the month, 81°. Only the smallest boats can ply the river. For clearness, cloudiness and fogs the month was about equally characterized.
September .- 1-5, intensely hot, the 3d being the hottest day of the season,-89°, 95°, 90°. Cool nights set in. People becoming sickly. A number of deaths of eminent citizens. Two or three frosts during the month. Extremes of temperature, 32° (during the night of the 21st) to 95° on the afternoon of the 3d.
October .- Pleasant; temperature, 42° at 7 A. M. on two mornings to 78° on the afternoon of two days. River in good order. Public health better. A fine, dreamy Indian summer.
November .- Indian summer nearly all the month,-frosty mornings and sunny days; 4, heavy frost and ice; 23, sudden cold; 26, snow; 27, 19° out doors; 28, 3º below zero out doors; 29, 30, very cold.
December .- 1-8, cold; 9, warmer; 10-18, moderate; ice prevents navigation; 19-27, very cold; 28-31, much milder; 31, ice running ont. Ice got to be three or four inches thick during the month.
1846.
January. - Ice heavy enough to put in store, but a part of the month the Ohio was navigable. No storms. Record of temper- iture omitted.
February .- Ditto.
March .- Nothing noteworthy.
April .- Temperature 50° to 74°. A little rain, but no storms.
May .- 1-13, rain almost every day, and river rising; 14-31,. warm and clondy, but not much rain.
June .- Rainy and river in good order. Thermometer, 61° to 88°.
July .- 1-14, hotter and hotter; 15, cooler; 16, 17, fire necessary; warmer again until 28, when it was very hot; 29-31, hot. A fair amount of rain during the month, but river went down until the 28th, when it commenced to rise rapidly.
August .- Hotter until the 7th (94°), then steadily warm until the 24th, when it dropped to 68° at 7 A. M., then warm until the close of the month. River very low.
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The summer, on the whole, was very wet-not a week of clear weather since spring. Crops, tolerable; corn, very fine; tobacco, poor and worm-eaten; peaches, large and abundant; melons, poor; garden vegetables, fine. General good health prevailing.
September .- Warm, 8th and 9th particularly hot, and 16th a sudden cooling. People unusually healthy. Latter part of the month very dry. River low.
October .- This month came in pleasant, and continued so, on an average, throughout the month. The first frost of the season came on the 18th, and was a severe one. Some ice during the remainder of the month. Indian summer, especially the 24th and after. Navigation was stopped by low water about the middle of the month; between the 22d and 25th it rose so as to be navigable for any boat, and by the last of the month it was almost as low as ever.
November .- 1-2, rainy; 3-17, clear, hazy, cloudy and warmer, except 5th, when there was frost; 18-20, rainy; 21, frost; 24, first snow, which the wet ground melted as fast as it came; 25, wintry morning; 26-30, cold and cloudy.
December .- Exceedingly mild; 2, 7, 8 and 16, rainy; very little clear weather; the latter part of the month warm enough to sit without a fire.
1847.
Jannary .- 1, raining and blowing in the morning ; cleared off by noon ; 1-6, mild; 6-12, very cold ; all the ice-houses in town filled with ice at least four inches thick; 10, ground covered with snow ; 11, 9º below zero out of doors; 15, 61º to 69°; 16, 31° in house; 19, 2° above zero out of doors; 23, thawing fast; 26, splendid ice, six inches thick.
February .- Nothing remarkable in the weather.
March .- 1-10, rather cool; 11, heavy snow, which probably would have measured twelve or fifteen inches in depth had it not been thawed away by the warm and wet ground; it snowed all day withont intermission; river very high; 21, more snow; 25-31, very warm for the season,-35° to 75°; 31, no gardening done yet. Roads impassable.
April .- Cool; spring backward; wet; 18, ice in the morning ; latter part of the month dry.
May .- River falling; weather constantly rainless, and the ground is baked and the roads dusty; 3, white frost; 8, very cool, 60° the warmest part of the day.
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June .- Pleasant enough; rain sufficient for the crops, which are promising, although corn is not over knee high in many places; 8, 23, 26, 27, oppressively warm.
July .- Hot as usual, the 13th being oppressively hot; 10-20, dry; 21-27, occasional showers.
August .- Pleasant,-some warm and some cool weather; 88º the highest; latter part of the month, very little rain. Crops good.
September .- Unsurpassably pleasant as to temperature, but very dry and dusty; 15 and 29, frost.
October .- Pleasant; heavy frost on the 13th, 15th and 27th; river very high by the 26th. Public health good.
November .- 7, thermometer 76° and a severe storm; otherwise the month was variable but without extremes; several rainy days; 25, snowed.
December .-- 1-14, pleasant; river very high; 14, snowed all day, reaching a depth of 16 inches; drifted some places to a depth of four feet; 14-31, cool; river falling.
1848.
January .-- 1-8, warm and disagreeable, but the public health good; 9, very cold; 10, only 2° above zero; the rest of the month clear and moderately cold.
February .- No extremes.
March .- Nothing remarkable. Gardens made during the middle of the month. The first week was cold, but from the 10th onward it grew warmer.
April .- Two or three light frosts; otherwise nothing remarkable.
May .- Thermometer 51º to 86°. Several hard rains.
June .- Thermometer 59º to 89º. Rain moderate.
July .- 58° to 89º. Very wet; wheat much injured.
August .- Most of the month cloudy; middle portion sultry. September .- Half cloudy. One hard rain.
October .- 18, first ice. Weather average for the season through- out the month.
November .- 32° to 55°. A little rain on the 4th, considerable on the 11th, and the first snow on the 25th.
December .- First half of the month rainy, muddy, chilly; 9, Panther Creek higher than ever known.
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1849.
January .- Still wet and disagreeable, near the freezing point.
February .- Thermometer 10° to 53° in the hall, averaging rather cool. About the 19th some fine ice was stored.
March .- Very fair spring weather. Gardens made early.
April .- Frost on 2d and 15th.
May .- Temperature in the open air, 56° to 79°; rain rather lim- ited.
June. - Sultry; rain abundant.
July .- 9 and 10 the sultriest days. Some lain the first part of the month, and but little toward the last,-which is the average for this month. Wheat crop ruined by rust.
August .- A hot month, with a very little rain.
September .- Dry and warm; river low.
October .- 1-5, fair and comfortable; 6, disagreeable, raw; 13-31, beautiful weather.
November .- Thermometer 32 77° Dry autumn; beautiful weather.
December .- Thermometer 10° in an unoccupied room in the house, to 52°; 10, snow; 2 and 15, drizzle; 21 and 28, rain; 30, snow. A rather cool, raw month.
1850.
January .- 13, snow eight inches deep; 7, 15, 18, 20, 24 and 25, rain.
February .- 3, very cold; 4, mercury down to 7 in the house; 13, 14, sleet and rain, and roads in an awful condition; 14, heavy snow; 25, hard rain; 28, storm.
March .- 1-8, cool, windy and raw; 10, some ice; 17, hail fell at 4 P. M., as large as partridge eggs; 22, rainy and cold; 23-25, ice; 26, snow three inches deep; 27, 28, thick ice; 29-31, more spring- like.
April .- 7, heavy frost; 13, still wintry; 14, ice covered with snow; 18-23, cold rains.
May .- 1-11, cool; 6, frost; 12-15, heavy rains; spring backward; farmers planting but little.
June .- 1, cool; 2-8, much warmer; 26, very hot day; wheat rust- ing; 23-29, most lovely nights.
July .-- 1-4, hot; 5-6, oppressively hot; 6, hard rain; 14, light rain nearly all day; 27-31, showery. Wheat crop ruined by rust.
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August .- Hot; 9, 13, 14, 18, 20, 21, sultry and tedious; 10, at 3 P. M. a terrific . storm, the wind a hurricane, doing considerable damage; 27-28, rather too cool in the morning to sit without a fire.
September .- Warm; 4, heavy rain in the night ; 14, river very low.
October .- 26, ice and frost; 31, warm, 69º.
November .- 8, heavy frost and ice; 16, first snow, but light; 26, severe thunder-storm; 27, more rain. Month average for temper- ature. River rising.
December .- 5, sleec; 7, snow; 8, very cold; 12, rain; 14, misty; 19, drizzly; 22, rain all day; 28, drizzly. River high and rising.
1851.
January .- 1-5, moderate; 7-9, spring-like; 10-29, moderate; 28, stormy; 30-'31, cold; good ice.
February .- 1-7, moderate; 8, 9, spring weather; 10-28, average; 17, etc., river rising; 23, hard storm; 27, rain and hail.
March .- 1-6, raw; 7-9, windy; 8, ice; 12, frost; 15, beautiful rainbow; 25, frost middle of the month, trees budding; last part, warm.
April .- 1, warm; 4 and 12, rain; 15, light frost; 21, cold; 22, frost and thin ice; 30, cool. Frequent showers during the month.
May .- 1, chilly; 2, heavy frost and thin ice; many things dam- aged; 6, heavy frost again; peaches nearly all killed; 10, warm; 16, very hot; 17, hard rain; 20-31, dry and warm. Nearly every kind of fruit was destroyed during the month.
June .- 1-12, dry; 13 and 15, rain; 30, hot during the day, but so cool at night as to make fire comfortable; 20-30, dry and exceedingly dusty.
July .- 1, cool; 1-6, warm; 7 and 8, very sultry; 13-15, very hot and oppressive; rest of the month hot, with considerable rain 28 and 29.
August .- 1-10, warm; 11-17, hot, the 17th being the hottest day of the season-95°; 18-31, moderate to hot, with a little rain.
September .- 1-14, hot; river low; 15-24, moderate; 25-30, cool; 25 and 27, frost; 29, beautiful northern lights.
October .- Average to 23d, when there was heavy frost and ice; 13, 14, river rose a foot, but toward the last of the month fell to a very low point.
Very dry autumn.
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HISTORY OF DAVIESS COUNTY.
November .- 5, river rising a little, but directly fell again; only two feet of water on the bar; 21, first snow fell-very slight; 27, rain; 29, heavy frost.
December .- 1-12, moderate; 13-27, cold, on the 17th being 1º below zero in the open air; 28-31, a little warmer.
1852.
Jannary .- 5, snow-storm all day; 10, snow again; 13, 2º below zero; 14, fine sleighing, snow six inches deep; 19, 13º below zero out of doors; peaches killed; 22, river closed; 29, first boat up since 19th; 30, shore ice broke. On the 1st the river rose three feet. A very cold and inclement month. Ice became six to eight inches thick, and was beautifully clear. Skating was delightful. Snow lay on the ground fifteen days, a length of time not known for many years.
February .- 1, river rising very fast and full of ice; 4, spring day; 6, river clear of ice; 5, 10, 15, 20, 21, 22, 28, rain; 15, hail ;. 28, snow also.
March .- Middle of the month delightful and gardening going on; 18, cool and unpleasant; 22, frost; latter part of the month warm and showery. River rose and fell two or three times, but averaged a good stage.
April .- 1-8, disagreeable; 9, heavy frost; 10-27, rather cool; 28-30, warm. Whole month rainy; 13, etc., river fell; 25, very high; 29, falling.
May .- 21, slight frost.
June .- 9, cool enough for fire; 10-17, very dry; 18, plenty of rain.
July .- 7, the sultriest day of the month. Last part of the month, crops suffering from drouth.
August .- First half of the month, very dry, damaging crops; last half, plenty of rain.
September .- 13, first frost, slight; 20, rained all day; 26, frost; last of the month river went down very low.
October .- 13, heavy frost; river very low all the month; 23, dew so heavy that the trees dripped; 18, etc., beautiful Indian summer.
November .- 1, frost; 8, frost and ice; 18, first snow to cover the ground, but soon melted; 24, rainbow; 7, river rising fast and 19, falling fast; 23-27, ' horrible " weather.
December .- Dreary; river high.
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1853.
January .- Warm and wet; river high.
February .- 1-4, warm; rest of the month moderate, some rain, sleet, etc.
March .- 19, heavy frost; 29, frost; some rain, drizzling, etc., and on the whole a rather disagrecable month.
April .- 13, trees budding; 15, heavy frost; 21, hot, 81°; 22-30, continues warm during the day but cool nights; 26, frost. River rising all the month.
May .- 1-10, cool, fires needed every day ; 19, very cool ; 20- 31, dry and dusty.
June .- Hot, especially the latter part of the month, an unprece- dented drouth prevailing; crops dried up, except that corn looked well and wheat was fine. River only three feet on the bar, the lowest ever known in June.
July .- 2, the showery season commenced.
August .- 28, slight frost.
Fruits plentiful this season.
September .- Nothing unusual in the weather.
October .- 3, 4, frost. 11, heavy frost; 24, ice; 27, cold and driz- zly; 29, fine frost; river low; 18, lovely Indian summer.
December .- 12, etc., beautiful weather; 18, first snow.
1854.
January .- 23, 5° below zero. River full of ice most of the month and high.
February .- Nothing remarkable.
March .- 5-10, an unprecedented amount of rain fell; 8, some trees showing buds; 11, thin ice; 17, peach-trees in bloom; 18, some ice; 26 and 28, a little ice again. River very high.
April .- 1-3, ice; 18, heavy frost and ice; 21-27, warmn.
May .- River in fine order; weather usual.
Junc .- River falling; 23-30, very hot and oppressive.
July .- Hot; average heat at three P. M., 904°. Dry and dusty.
August .- 1-2, the two hottest days of the season, -94° to 98; rest of the month hot, especially after the 24th. Average for the month at three, P. M., 91.1º. Still dry; everything burnt up; no grass. River as low as ever known to be.
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September .- 4, thermometer 993°, hottest day ever observed here to this date. Hot and dry all the month. Corn crops short; hay, oats and wheat very fine; tobacco fair.
October .- 1, a good rain, the first of importance since June 2 the corn crops are short; 5, first frost. River exceedingly low, but raised about three feet near the last of the month.
November .- 12, first snow, ground covered; 26, river rising a little.
December .- 5, ice on creeks strong enough to bear one up; ice three inches thick on the creeks and ponds; 11, heaviest frost ever witnessed,-white on trees all day; 12, trees still white with frost, and constant fog; 18-31, cold, with some rain at the warmest periods; 8, about six feet water on the bars; 17, river down again; 26, seven feet on the bars.
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